


Light in darkness

by Explosion_king



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Death, Gen, Homophobia, Human Experimentation, Kid Kuroo Tetsurou, Kinda, M/M, kid Bokuto Koutarou
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:54:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,349
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28026588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Explosion_king/pseuds/Explosion_king
Summary: Everything started with one word, small, uncertain, scared. It was just simple ‘hey’ that was beginning of their strange friendship.
Relationships: Bokuto Koutarou & Kuroo Tetsurou, Bokuto Koutarou/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 3
Kudos: 15





	Light in darkness

**Author's Note:**

> I think I need to apologize.
> 
> I wrote this at 3am so it probably doesn’t make any sense.  
> English is not my mother language so sorry for any grammar or spelling mistakes.

The earliest thing he remembered from his childhood was dark, cold cell and constant pain. Ray of light coming from small cracks on the wall, doing nothing to brighten the darkness. The place was, in six year old kuroo’s opinion, some kind of old laboratory. Where gruesome experiments were done on humans. 

He had no idea how he ended up in that place, he doesn’t know who his parents were, but one thing he was certain about, that he was not abandoned, no matter what those people told him, he didn’t believe that his mother and father voluntarily gave him up to suffer in this place.

The experiments done on him where strange ranging from injections to testing equipment.

The thing he remembers clearly is face of a man or a demon. A tall male, in his early forties, with black hair and bloodshed eyes. He was always wearing white coat over black jeans and blue turtleneck. This demon would regularly walk into kuroo’s cell and give him some kind of medication. The reason why this face was so prominent in a group of dozens of faces, kuroo saw every day, is that this person was the one who operated the experiments. Others observed him, restrained him —if he struggled too much—sometimes drugged him, but this man was the one infecting the most pain. Both physical and emotional. 

Kuroo’s schedule was something like this. He would be woken up, if he even managed to go to sleep, at exactly 6am, after some food (which was usually drugged) he would be taken in a white room, where one small table and chair stood, there some tests where done on him to see the results of previous experiments. And after that the hell started. At 10am the demon would walk in restrain him and inject different things, which almost always caused immeasurable pain. After that he was brought to some machine, that would be connected to his head and heart and arms. What were they trying to achieve was unknown to Kuroo, but one thing he was certain about was that because of this experiments he started to lose consciousness many times, he coughed blood and his muscles would give out sometimes. 

***

The first time he ever met another child was when he was 8, after two years of loneliness he met young boy, probably his age, with long dark hair and cat like eyes. 

The boy was usually quiet, they never exchanged words. They would bring him with kuroo in white room and made them play thing called chess. The game in itself Tetsurou didn’t really like, but opportunity to relax and be with another kid was always welcome. 

As the time passed Kuroo started seeing more and more kids. Sometimes when they ended up in same experimental room, they talked, tho they had no knowledge nor vocabulary to talk about many things, they still managed to distract themselves. 

At some point when Tetsu was 11 they planned an escape, which was immediately crushed and they were separated. Kuroo never saw any one of them, except the boy who he played chess with. He found out that the boy’s name was Kenma. 

***

He noticed his body weakening when he turned 12. He could barely walk and every experiment affected him more and more. And when he thought that he would at last find peace, he found a person worth living for.

In his cell was brought another person, with whom he was supposed to share the room. The only thing Kuroo could make out in darkness was the boy’s warm voice and his golden eyes which would only be seen if the light from cracks hit just in right place.

Everything started with one word, small, uncertain, scared. It was just simple ‘hey’, that was beginning of their strange friendship. 

“How long have you been here?” Was the first thing the boy asked after they greeted each other. His voice wasn’t shaking, nor was he stuttering. He spoke fluently. 

Kuroo had never seen other kid speak like that. Because of lack of use and practice, he and others couldn’t speak properly. They could only muster several words before stuttering, before their voices died out. 

“Almost m-my whole l-life.” He answered, he could guess that the boy was new but he still asked “what ab-about you?”

The boy was silent for several minutes. Kuroo couldn’t see his face but he guessed the boy was terrified by his answer. No one would want to spend the rest of their life living like this. He was probably afraid.

“Three months.” The boy answered. There it was, fear. Tetsurou heard it clearly as it wasn’t emotion often seen in kids like himself. After years of being trapped in here Kuroo, Kenma and many others lost their ability to feel. No fear or sadness or despair or grief. There was nothing. 

He didn’t say anything and the boy too was silent so he thought that the “conversation” was over.

“My name is Bokuto Koutarou.” The boy said, Kuroo could faintly see extended hand. 

“Kuroo Tetsurou” he said and Bokuto took his hand and violently shook it. 

Kuroo was stunned, not only by strange gesture, but also by some sort of new energy the boy was radiating. Something inside Kuroo desperately wanted to see boy’s face right now. What was his expression like, what was this strange new feeling in Bokuto’s voice. He wanted to see, but he knew that the light the cracks provided wouldn’t be enough to catch his whole face.

So he did the only thing he could think of. His hand slowly raised and touched Bokuto’s face. The boy flinched but soon relaxed. He didn’t say anything nor did he move away, so Tetsurou started exploring further. He still couldn’t imagine his expression, but he noticed some differences between Bokuto and other kids he had seen. Like how his face was fuller, softer, rounder. Despite some small scratches, his face was smooth and satisfying to touch. Bokuto had thick eyebrows and big eyes. He seemed beautiful. It was pity such person ended up in a place like that. 

Kuroo felt a hand touch his face as well. Usually he would flinch and get away as soon as possible, but there was so much warmth in Bokuto’s touch that he couldn’t find it in himself to step away.

It was strange, Bokuto was strange. 

They got along pretty well. Bokuto liked to talk and he was always positive, even when he was taken for researches or when Kuroo’s unconscious body was thrown in their cell, he always stayed optimistic he would hug Kuroo and whisper small nothings.

“everything will be okay” he would say “we will get out of here or someone will find us, I am sure of that.” Though it was directed to himself more than to kuroo.

After he would hug him even tighter and tell him stories about outside world.

***

“B-bokuto.” Kuroo said one day “c-can I ask y-you some-some-thing” 

“Sure.” The boy said loudly. Giving up on his attempts at digging the hole in the wall and focused on the boy laying on the floor with his arms and legs spread wide open. 

Tetsurou didn’t say anything for several minutes. Like he was uncertain if it would be right to say something or not. In the end he inhaled and said with all strength he could muster “how did you end up in here?” It was the subject they always avoided. Bokuto never asked any questions about his life and Kuroo never asked about his past. But he needed to know, maybe that way he could figure out why he himself was there.

Bokuto was silent for a long while. Kuroo started panicking, maybe he crossed the line, will Bokuto abandon him now? was the questions he asked himself but after long and excruciating minutes Koutarou finally said.

“I was sent here to cure “disease” that I apparently have.” He gestured something with his hand, before laying next to Kuroo.

“What d-disease?”

“I-it’s not actually disease. I just don’t fit into the image of a perfect person that society has made.” He answers. 

“I d-don’t un-understand.” Kuroo said innocently as he got closer to Bokuto thinking that his presence would calm him down, if needed.

“At first I couldn’t understand either, but then my father explained what was wrong with me. You see, usually boys like girls and girls like boys, but I am a boy and I like other boys, it is called homosexuality and some people think it is an illness.” He explained, he wanted to add something when Kuroo interrupted.

“But I l-like you, d-does that m-mean I have t-that ill-illness too?”

Koutarou laughed loudly before answering “No, no, you don’t get it.” He was chuckling a bit as he continued “by liking I mean attraction, adoration. love.” 

“I d-don’t know w-what those w-words m-mean.”

“You don’t need to know, you should feel it. It is a tingly feeling you get in your stomach when you see someone or something you love. You feel all warm and happy and that feeling is so powerful that it can even cause pain. That is love or at least that’s how it’s described in all those movies, adults watch.”

“I have n-never felt t-that way.” Kuroo says. He feels some kind of ache in his heart, but choses to ignore it or he simply couldn’t distinguish it from all the other pain in his body.

“Neither have I.” Bokuto says turning to look at kuroo, though he couldn’t really see him.

“B-but if l-love is g-good t-then why is it w-wrong to like b-boys?”

“It is not wrong. But it’s rare, uncommon and people out there don’t like things that are different from them.”

“So it is n-not treat-treatable?”

“No.” 

“Then w-why are you h-here? W-what are t-they doing t-to you?” Kuroo asked. He was angry and that was new emotion for him. After so many years rage was the first feeling he showed and recognized.

“My parents probably wanted to get rid of me so, here I am.” Bokuto answered shrugging. He was uncharacteristically calm and composed. He didn’t shout or give overly optimistic speech.

‘He is sad’ Kuroo thought. He wasn’t wrong, but because of his lack of knowledge he couldn’t describe Bokuto’s emotions better. 

Kuroo has no idea how to deal with feelings so he did what little Bokuto taught him in the past two months and hugs him. Koutarou eagerly returns the hug. They stay like that for some time. Soon both of them fall asleep in each other’s arms.

***

“So school is a p-place where y-you go to l-learn.” 

They were sitting on the floor, back to back. Koutarou was telling him stories about outside world.

“Yes. All the kids go there to learn so they can go to college and then find a good job.”

“That must b-be so nice. I-I want to go to s-school.” Tetsurou said imagining what his life would be like had he lived in different environment.

“Meh, not really. School sucks, but it’s great to make new friends and play with them.” Bokuto shouted leaning a little bit more on Kuroo.

“Why? I think it w-would be g-great to learn all about d-different things.”

“You would be such a nerd.” Koutarou laughed.

“I don’t know w-what that m-means, so I will take that as co-compliment.”

And Bokuto started laughing even louder.

***

The experiments got more and more intense. And Kuroo noticed that he was getting weaker and weaker. At times he couldn’t get out of bed without anyone’s help. Men would come and drag him out and then back in.

He could hardly see even when he was out of his cell. His legs didn’t listen to him. He felt constant headache and every bite he took made him nauseous. The wounds didn’t have time to heal as new ones appeared.

But more than that he was concerned with Bokuto’s condition. He never told kuroo what kind of experiments were done on him, but with each passing day his health was getting worse. It felt like Kuroo was watching as life was slowly leaving his friend’s body. 

He was scared. He was scared that one day Koutarou would leave and never come back. He was scared that one day he would be dragged in his cell and warm arms won’t embrace him until he falls asleep. He is afraid that he won’t be able to hear all those stories he couldn’t have even dreamt about. 

He wishes for Bokuto to escape from this place to get as far away as possible. He doesn’t deserve this. He should be out there making a name for himself, so that future generations remember who Bokuto Koutarou was. He can’t die in a cell, in his own blood, without having an opportunity to fight back. 

Kuroo needed to do something he had to think of some way out. To tell everyone about this place so they will save Koutarou.

He should do something.

He needed to do something.

***

“Volleyball?”

“Yes, it’s like the best sport ever!” Bokuto exclaimed.

“Is it a game of some k-kind? Like c-chess?” Kuroo asked not really understanding the concept of sports.

“Yeah, chess is a sport, but it’s more calm and requires less movement.” 

“And how do y-you play sport?” 

“There are many different kind of sports. In volleyball there are two teams separated by net and the main purpose is to not let the ball touch the ground on their side.”

“And that’s fun?” Kuroo asked. Bokuto’s head was in his lap and he was playing with his hair.

“I can’t explain it well, but it is amazing. You would definitely like it.” Koutarou was humming in satisfaction as Kuroo hits just the right spot.

“If you say so.” Tetsurou mumbled as he continued his hand’s movement.

“You are really good at this” Koutarou said suddenly.

“I am just b-brushing your hair with my fingers.” Kuroo chuckled “anyone c-can do t-this.”

“Yes, but not everyone can be good at it.”

“I don’t think there is a w-wrong way t-to do this.” 

“You just haven’t experienced the bad way of doing this.”

***

One day when kuroo was being dragged to his cell he noticed a door that he had never seen there before, a loud voice was heard and he saw the door open and for the first time in his life he got a chance to peek at outside world. 

He couldn’t see properly, but he saw a lot of green and blue and he guessed that it was grass and the sky. 

Beautiful. It was beautiful. 

And there it was his sweet freedom, so close yet so far away. 

He would get out he had to.

But not today. He will wait, come up with plan and then he will act. 

He has to go out.

***

“so this phone things enable you to talk with people from far d-distances? That sounds totally un-unbelievable.” Tetsurou said as he was helping Bokuto in digging out the wall. 

“You know I would never lie to you, it’s true. Not not only that phones can do a lot of cool different stuff.” He said as he removed some cement.

“Oho? What kind of stuff?” 

“You can play games, chat with friends, take photos” Bokuto rambled, counting on his hands the amazing things phones could do. “You don’t look amazed.” He added when he noticed that his friend wasn’t paying him much attention.

“You see Bo, I have no idea what those thing are.” The boy stated.

“Oh right.” Koutarou looked like he was thinking hard before exclaiming “well you know about books and school right, with phone you can also read whatever you want and get lots of different kind of knowledge. You can learn thing without even going to school!”

“Wait, then what is the purpose of school?” 

“Well I mean you have to go to school to learn.”

“Yeah, but if you can study with those phone thingies, then you don’t need school”

“Schools are there to force you to study.” Bokuto stated as if everything made total sense now. “No person would willingly torture themselves with work.”

Tetsurou raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t really question Bokuto’s logic any further. 

***

After years of being alone.

After years of not having anyone to turn to.

After years of quivering in the corner.

Without fighting.

Without resisting.

Without hoping.

Kuroo Tetsurou makes first steps for his future. He wants to live, to fight. He wants to go to school. Wants to try different food. Wants to lay in soft bed. Wants to have friends. Wants to feel love. 

These were the reasons why he escaped from doctors’ hold and ran to the door, but the moment he reached his freedom, the moment he felt fresh grass underneath his feet, the only thing on his mind was a person still inside the cage.

So for the boy who saved him when even he gave up on his life, he ran and yelled for help.

Not for himself.

Not to forget all those terrible years.

Not to find the peace he had been looking for.

But for a boy who even in the depths of darkness managed to shine.

Who planted the seeds of hope in his broken heart.

Who even without knowing managed to move a heart of practically dead person. And made him feel all different kind of emotions.

He ran and yelled and shouted, but not for himself. Everything he did was for Bokuto.

***

Kuroo could feel cold ground meeting his bloodied face. He heard someone in the distance calling his name. 

Was he dead? Kuroo couldn’t tell, but judging by the warm arms and sweet voice that soon engulfed him, he probably was.

In the end they caught him. He couldn’t find help. Couldn’t reach someone, he was captured and brought back to hell, where for some unfortunate reasons an angel lived. 

“Open your eyes” he heard distant voice.

“Kuroo don’t leave me, please.” It was getting closer and closer.

“Tetsurou you can’t die. You promised me we would go play volleyball together. You said you would escape with me. You said you would live for me. You said you w-would…… y-you w-wou-would.……” Bokuto was bawling his eyes out. Kneeling on the ground, hugging almost dead boy. Desperately telling him to return.

“B-bokuto?” Kuroo mumbled. If he was really dead then why was Bokuto with him?

“Yes, Tetsu it’s me, please Tetsurou look at me, open your eyes.”

Kuroo did as he was told. It took a lot of strength, like a ton of something was laying on his eyes preventing him from opening them. 

“C-can’t. Too sleepy.” He mumbled.

“For me Tetsu.” Bokuto whispered his voice breaking.

“W-what’s wrong Bo? Why are y-you crying?”

“I don’t want you to leave.”

“Where am I going?” Kuroo asked his trembling hand finding its way to Kou’s face, wiping the tears away.

“To Heaven.” More tears escaped.

“Is it a good place?”

“The best.” Bokuto whispered.

Kuroo smiled and managed to open his eyes ‘even a cell can be a great place if you are there.’ He thought, but didn’t say it out loud.

“Then, before I-i leave c-can you t-tell me one l-last story.” He said instead.

Bokuto bit his lip and nodded even though he knew Kuroo couldn’t see him.

He took Kuroos hand in one of his own, with other he played with Kuroo’s hair.

“Do you remember how I told you about Volleyball, well this story is about a...”

***

“It’s empty in here.”

“Search every room, every laboratory we need to save all the victims.”

“Here are two more kids.”

“Are they alive? What are their conditions?”

“One seems to be lightly injured, the other is… we... we were late.”

“……Get the kid out of there and bring him to team 4 they will-”

“Call the medics right NOW.”

“Wh-what, what’s wrong?”

“The other one is still breathing.

He is alive.”

**Author's Note:**

> I definitely didn’t write this instead of Finishing my Bokuroo royalty/historical omegaverse au. Well that has to wait for a while.
> 
> Thank you for reading and hope you enjoyed.


End file.
